AIDAN O’Brien’s Peking Opera made a winning start to his three-year-old campaign in the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Yeats Stakes.

Seamie Heffernan settled the 5/2 favourite towards the rear in this six-runner contest and the pair took closer order a quarter of a mile from home.

They stayed on to hit the front inside the final 150 yards and kept on well to see off Etna Rosso by half a length for the Magnier/Tabor/Smith/Westerberg ownership.

Stable representative Chris Armstrong said: “The form of his Leopardstown race over a mile has worked out well. He has done well over the winter and is a horse that is going to stay very well.

“This was a lovely race to start him off in and he is one to look forward to going forward over a staying trip.

“He could be one for something like the Queen’s Vase over a mile and six furlongs at Ascot. You could bring him back a fraction to a mile and a half.”

Rolling late

Jessica Harrington’s Givemethebeatboys got rolling late down the outer to land the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden by three-parts of a length.

It didn’t look likely a furlong out in this sprint, but he hit the rising ground well and surged late to lead close home.

Jockey Shane Foley said: “If he hadn’t run well today, we would have been scratching our heads a bit! We have had a few two-year-olds disappoint, so we are glad he did that. I thought the race was gone, but his class got him through.

“The pace was on the far side and he had to do a bit of running to get on top, but the good ones can get you out of trouble!”

When asked if he sees him as a Royal Ascot horse, he replied: “Definitely, I’d say, and Con (owner Theresa Marnane’s husband) likes Ascot.”

Stone cold Walsh excels on handicap winner Markievicz

CONOR Stone-Walsh was seen to good effect on Markievicz in the Mongey Communications Apprentice Handicap over an extended five furlongs.

The 7lb claimer steered his mount to the front over a furlong out and she was kept up to her work to hit the line with a length and three-parts in hand at 9/1.

Sheila Lavery said: “I wasn’t sure about the ground, whether she would handle the soft. I knew she was in really good form. He gave her a lovely ride because she has to be ridden cold, he didn’t panic.”

After a pair of runner-up berths, Parting Glass got off the mark in the five-furlong Navan Racecourse Maiden. Fozzy Stack’s charge was never far from the pace and was ridden into the lead inside the final furlong before going on by a length and a half.

Jockey Mark Enright, in the colours of Mrs Tommy Stack, said of the 9/4 favourite: “In Tipperary the last day, we were drawn on the wrong side completely and I think he ran a massive race to finish second. It is tough going and it was tough work up the hill. He dug deep, he’s a horse that doesn’t kill himself at home. For a sprinter, he has a great mind and he’s very relaxed.

Third run a winner

Jon Riggens struck on his third run of the season in the Bellinter Handicap over five furlongs. Ben Coen switched him out to challenge and the pair stayed on in the final furlong to get up in the last strides. They won by a head at 5/1. Trainer Eddie Lynam said: “He won first time for us when I got him, he got a high 80s rating because he won a Curragh maiden.

“Then he came down a bit and was a close second in good handicaps here and at Naas at the backend (of the season).

“Chris (Hayes) was very happy with him the last day, he was on the way back. Sarah (Lynam’s Screen Siren in third) had the lighter weight so she got Chris. We will keep going for those sort of handicaps.

“Four lads own him (DWPJ Investments Ltd) and they get a great bit of craic out of him.”

Motherhood doesn’t stop Vermillion

RED Vermillion overturned Gowran Park form with Striking to take the honours in the Troytown Bar Handicap over a mile and five furlongs.

Mpumelelo Mjoka sent her on a furlong and a half out and she kept on strongly to score by three lengths at 11/1 for Mrs Eileen Coleman.

John O’Shea representing Kevin Coleman said: “She’s a tough little filly, but she just wants a trip. It suited her because they went a good gallop in front on that ground, even though she probably wants better ground.

“Would you believe that filly had a foal? She had two years off. Probably going against the grain, but it didn’t do her any harm in the end. She is probably capable of winning another.”

Comfortable

Joseph O’Brien’s Valiant King wasn’t extended in winning the concluding Book Your Summer BBQ On June 11th Maiden over a mile and a quarter by a comfortable five and a-half lengths for Qatar Racing Limited.

The 4/9 favourite travelled well for Dylan Browne McMonagle and picked up the lead two and a half furlongs from home. The outcome wasn’t in doubt when they asserted approaching the final furlong.

Assistant trainer Brendan Powell said: “Dylan said he was very professional today, he said he knew from a long way out he was going to win.

“He said he will stay an extra quarter of a mile anyway. He said he thinks there is a nice race in him.”